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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. board — a committee
  3. net — for catching
  4. board — to get on
  5. scale — in music
  6. track — to keep track
  7. branch — a division
  8. scale — size or range
  9. foot — a measure
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. net — in sport
  12. track — a song
  13. fork — in a road
  14. net — after costs
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. track — a path
  24. scale — for weighing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com